1980 Predicted Flying Cars In 2026, 2026 Got 'Do Not Eat The Wrapper'

1980: "In 2026 we will have flying cars!"
2026:

This sarcastic meme contrasts mid-20th century optimistic futuristic predictions with modern reality: people in 1980 predicted that by 2026, humanity would have achieved advanced flying car technology. Instead, the reality of 2026 is that fast food restaurants need to print an explicit warning directly on burger packaging telling customers not to eat the paper wrapper, because enough people lack basic common sense to require this instruction. The image shows a close-up of a fast food burger still in its packaging, with the warning 'DO NOT EAT THIS WRAPPER' clearly printed on the wrapper.

This meme was originally circulated online via the IFLScience social media account, then reposted to 9Gag with the original 9Gag title noting that the number of people who need this type of basic instruction is growing. It follows a popular internet joke format that contrasts outdated futuristic predictions with silly modern problems that highlight declining general common sense instead of the expected technological advancement.